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1 http://www.route22.co.uk137669158Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy – Common Shoulder Problem & How to Solve ithttps://www.mypttherapy.co.uk/2019/06/26/rotator-cuff-tendinopathy-common-shoulder-problem-how-to-solve-it/
Wed, 26 Jun 2019 13:14:51 +0000http://www.mypttherapy.co.uk/?p=4874The rotator cuff muscles are a group of muscles that help to stabilise the shoulder joint. There are 4 muscles within your rotator cuff – Supraspinatus, Infraspinatus, Teres minor and Subscapularis. These muscles are very important as they keep the shoulder (ball and socket joint) in place. The most common rotator cuff tendinopathy would be the supraspinatus muscle, which can become irritated and impinged, as it runs through the one of the shoulder joints (AC joint) and attaches onto the top of the arm.

A tendinopathy occurs within the muscle’s tendon, from repetitive overuse of the muscle, which leads to a thickening of the tendon. Therefore, a rotator cuff tendinopathy can be very common amongst sports involving an increased amount of overhead movement such as swimming or throwing.

Management of a rotator cuff tendinopathy

–Ice the shoulder joint to reduce inflammation and pain.

–Perform eccentric exercises on the rotator cuff muscle (depending on what tendon is affected) to help strengthen the tendon correctly.

–Reduce the amount of activity on the shoulder, especially with overhead movements.

–Book yourself a massage to help release off the rotator cuff muscles, to help deload the tendon.

A tendinopathy can take a little while to recover, so if you have any concerns or you aren’t sure if it is a tendinopathy or not just get yourself booked in for an assessment to identify the problem. You will then be given professional advice on management and the next steps regarding your injury.

CALL 020 3468 1299 OR E-MAIL THERAPY@MYPTSTUDIO.CO.UK

]]>4874My Knee Hurts – Could it be Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome? What Can You Do?https://www.mypttherapy.co.uk/2019/06/19/my-knee-hurts-could-it-be-patellofemoral-pain-syndrome-what-can-you-do/
Wed, 19 Jun 2019 13:24:44 +0000http://www.mypttherapy.co.uk/?p=4878Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) is broad term used to describe pain in the knee joint, more specifically the patellofemoral joint (underneath knee cap). It has also been known as “runners knee” or “jumpers knee” as it is common amongst these forms of high intensity/impact sport. PFPS is also common amongst non-sporting individuals as well, with pain and stiffness making activities such as ascending and descending stairs, kneeling down and from sit to stand after long periods of sitting an issue.

There are a number of reasons as to why you may be experiencing PFPS, such as a muscle imbalance between your quadriceps muscles causing a maltracking of the knee cap, weak gluteus medius muscles causing increased pressure on the knee cap or the positioning of the knee cap, which can cause irritation underneath or either side of the knee cap.

Leading on from the points above, a few ways to deal with PFPS:

–Foam roll your quadriceps muscles 3-4 times a week to help eliminate any tightness that may have built up in the quads.

–Perform gluteus medius strengthening exercises, such as banded clams, banded crab walks or abductions in the gym on the abduction machine.

–Ice the knee joint to reduce any pain experienced after activity or long periods of sitting.

–Make sure you do not sit down for longer than 30 minutes without getting up and moving about for a short period of time, to ensure the knee doesn’t get stiff, which can then lead to increased pain.

If you find that you’re still experiencing pain after two weeks of sticking to the rehabilitation advice above, then come in for a full assessment of the knee joint to identify any weaknesses or muscle imbalances that may be influencing your knee injury.

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a blood clot that
forms within a deep vein in the body, most commonly found in the calf and thigh
muscles of the leg. The worry of a DVT is that it could lead to something much
more serious such as a pulmonary embolism, which is a blocked blood vessel in
the lunges, and can be life-threatening if not treated quickly. When
experiencing a calf DVT, the main symptoms you should be aware of include:

Warm skin in the area of the
clot.

Pain and tenderness in the
affected calf (usually only affects one leg, but not always).

Redness and swelling of the
calf, particularly at the back of your leg, below the knee.

Heavy aching in the affected
calf.

Please be aware that in some
rare cases, you may not experience any symptoms at all. So if you know you are
prone to swelling of the calves, poor blood circulation within your legs or
have a certain condition/treatment that may cause increased risk of blood clots
(such as cancer, including its treatment, or heart/lung disease), make sure you
frequently get up and move about. Especially if you are pregnant, on a long
flight, or have been bedbound for a long period of time, try to get up and walk
about, purchase compression socks and perform gentle range of motion exercises
of the ankles to increase a better blood flow and lymphatic drainage response.

If you are experiencing some
of these symptoms, for example, if you have pain, swelling and a heavy ache in
your calf/leg, but you cannot explain how or why the pain has come about, we
would advise to see your GP as soon as possible. In most cases it will not be a
DVT but it is best to have a check up, which may include blood tests to rule
DVT out.

Medial knee pain is
describing pain on the inside aspect on the knee, usually caused by an acute
injury or an overuse injury. This can be associated with a number of different
structures and causes.

An MCL strain is a very common injury, where the inside ligament can become overstretched during high intensity sports, such as football, skiing, netball etc. This can occur from a hard tackle or poor landing, forcing the knee into an extreme inversion position.

Medial meniscus tears can either be a result of an acute injury or a degenerative overuse injury. This is where the cushioning within the knee joint becomes torn and pain can either come on suddenly or gradually increase overtime. Pain usually occurs when you fully bend the knee, such as deep squatting and you may experience popping, locking or clicking of the knee joint.

You may also experience referred pain in the knee due to a dysfunction of the joints above or below, most commonly from the ankle or hip. Commonly, active individuals experience pain as a result of weak gluteus medius muscles.

Poor Biomechanics can also increase knee pain. If you have collapsed arches in your feet (known as flat foot), this can also cause increased pressure on the inside aspect of the knee.

Quadriceps muscle imbalance is a common cause of knee pain. For example, if the vastus medialis oblique (inside quad) becomes overworked and tight and the vastus lateralis (outside quad) has become lengthened and weak, the patella bone will not glide properly when bending and straightening the knee. This places increased strain on the tendon and patella bone, leading to irritation of the patellofemoral joint and therefore, pain.

Some of these injuries will not repair on their
own, they will need conservative treatment (manual therapy), and in some rare
cases surgery. The longer the injury is left, the longer it will take to
recover. So if you think you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, get booked
in a full assessment of the knee and put your mind at rest.
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]]>4818Carpal Tunnel Syndrome-What Causes it?https://www.mypttherapy.co.uk/2019/05/30/carpal-tunnel-syndrome-what-causes-it/
Thu, 30 May 2019 13:21:03 +0000https://www.mypttherapy.co.uk/?p=4812Carpal tunnel syndrome is referring to pain in the wrist where the median nerve may be compressed as it passes through a tight part of the wrist along with tendons. You will most likely experience numbness or paraesthesia (i.e. pins and needles) around the thumb and first two fingers.

You may also experience radiating pain
travelling up from the wrist into the elbow or shoulder over time, and symptoms
tend to be worse at night. In severe cases, you may need surgery to free the
median nerve.

Causes of Carpal Tunnel

– The main cause of carpal tunnel syndrome is usually down to inflammation, which leads to swelling in the wrist joint. The most common cause for inflammation in the wrist is underlying medical conditions. For example; diabetes, thyroid dysfunction, fluid retention from menopause or pregnancy, rheumatoid arthritis, high blood pressure, fractures or trauma to the wrist.

–
Repeated overload is another
cause of carpal tunnel syndrome. This is where the wrist is repeatedly put into
overextension and will reduce the amount of space in the joint, leading to
compression of the nerve. This is most common in desk workers who use computers
and laptops with poor positioning of the hands, or manual labour work
repeatedly using hand drills.

It is best to get assessed by a therapist or
doctor to correctly diagnose the injury itself, as there are a number of other
injuries that could lead to numbness/pins and needles into the hand along with
pain. There you will have a full assessment of the wrist joint and an
assessment of the upper joints, including the neck to rule out any referred
pain.

]]>48125 Ways To Deal with Shin Splintshttps://www.mypttherapy.co.uk/2019/05/23/5-ways-to-deal-with-shin-splints/
Thu, 23 May 2019 13:04:20 +0000https://www.mypttherapy.co.uk/?p=4808The term “Shin splints” is commonly used to
describe most nonspecific anterior leg pain. However, most health professionals
will describe it as pain along the inside border of the shin bone, which is
most commonly associated with runners, especially where running activity has
increased. This injury isn’t usually serious, however it can suspend exercise
and may even get worse if ignored and may lead to stress fractures in serious
cases.

Symptoms include:

–
Pain usually comes on soon
after starting exercise and may last a few minutes or even up to a day post
exercise.

–
Bilateral shin pain is common.

–
Usually the pain starts out
dull and achy, but can progress to sharp severe pain and is usually felt over a
large area of the shin rather than a pinpoint area.

How to manage shin splints

–
Reduce (stop) the amount of
activity performed for the first 2 weeks.

–
Change to low impact
activities such as cycling, swimming, cross trainer which will minimise load
going through the legs.

–
Ice the shins for up to 15
minutes at a time 2-3 times daily, to reduce inflammation and swelling that you
may experience.

–
When you start to increase your
running load again, minimise the amount of road running performed initially, as
this will put a greater force load through the legs

–
Ensure you are warming up and
cooling down properly pre and post exercise, as tight calf muscles can increase
chances of getting shin splints.

To ensure correct diagnosis,
we advise booking in for an assessment to identify the cause of your pain.
Treatment will also help to minimise your pain and get you back to your
activity quicker. Our therapists will be able to advice you on further
management and rehab exercises, if and where appropriate.

]]>4808Causes for Lateral Knee Painhttps://www.mypttherapy.co.uk/2019/05/16/causes-for-lateral-knee-pain/
Thu, 16 May 2019 11:01:57 +0000https://www.mypttherapy.co.uk/?p=4802Lateral knee pain is a very broad term and focuses around the outside aspect of the knee joint, this is seen frequently in runners and cyclists. We will focus on a number of causes for lateral knee pain that you may be able to relate to.

The most common cause of lateral knee pain is Iliotibial band (ITB) syndrome, which is an overuse injury of the fibrous band running from your TFL and gluteus medius muscle down onto the outside of the knee. You may experience pain whilst using the stairs, running (especially long distance), squatting or cycling. Swelling may be present around the outer side of the knee, with soreness to touch.

A hamstring injury is another cause of pain on the outside of the knee, as part of the hamstring muscle attaches onto the fibula (lower leg) just lower down from the knee joint. You may experience pain playing high intensity sports, especially during speeding up/slowing down and can be tender to touch.

Injury to the lateral meniscus (cartilage/cushioning in the knee joint) may be another reason. You may experience catching, locking or popping of the knee joint, with minor to moderate swelling. This injury could be a result of an acute trauma; such as sudden twisting of the leg, whilst the foot is planted, or due to degeneration of the meniscus over a long period of time.

You may also experience referred pain in the knee from the joints above or below, most commonly from the lumbar spine or hip. Commonly, active individuals experience pain as a result of a weak gluteus medius muscle (in the bottom). If this muscle is weak, during activities such as squatting or lunging your knee drops inwards, which can cause increased strain on the knee.

]]>4802What To Do If You Have Chronic Low Back Painhttps://www.mypttherapy.co.uk/2019/05/09/what-to-do-if-you-have-chronic-low-back-pain/
Thu, 09 May 2019 10:54:25 +0000https://www.mypttherapy.co.uk/?p=4796Chronic lower back pain is a very broad term, which is now used quite frequently by therapists and clinicians due to the number of individuals suffering with long-term back pain. The word ‘chronic’ is defined as pain that persists for 12 weeks or longer. There are a number of reasons as to why an individual may suffer from chronic lower back pain. The main causes include disc degeneration or herniation, sciatica, spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, ligament sprain or muscle strain 5 tips to with LBP – Apply heat to the back if the muscles are feeling tight and the back is aching. – Get the back moving – If you protect the back and try to reduce range of motion, the back will just stiffen up and you will be stuck in a pain cycle. So perform gentle range of motion exercises for the lower back when stiff, do not push through pain. – Apply ice for 10 minutes at a time when the back is feeling painful. Make sure you use crushed ice in a damp cloth or an ice pack. – Work set up – If you are a desk worker: ensure your computer screen is eye level, you’re sitting correctly and you have a supportive chair for the lower back. If you have a manual job: ensure you’re lifting objects correctly (with the knees not the back), and try to maintain correct posture during your work activities (so standing/sitting up straight, shoulders back and core muscles engaged). – Relaxing at home – If you like to go home and relax on your sofa, check to see if it is giving you enough support. If you sink into your sofa, this will not support the lower back and lead to further aching or pain. Try placing a pillow behind your back to help maintain your posture. This also applies to your bed and any other furniture at home.

These 5 tips will help to ease your lower back pain. However, a diagnosis of the mechanism of injury is key in deciding the correct treatment plan for each individual to ensure recovery of your chronic lower back pain. Each mechanism of injury will also have specific rehabilitation exercises catered to the individual, otherwise the lower back pain will not diminish fully or potentially become worse if the correct exercises are not given. If you have suffered with a lower back injury and cannot find a way to shift the pain, do not give up you do not need to put up with the pain. Book in now, and get a full assessment to identify the source of your pain.

]]>4796Cervical Headaches and What Stretches You Can Dohttps://www.mypttherapy.co.uk/2019/05/02/cervical-headaches-and-what-stretches-you-can-do/
Thu, 02 May 2019 09:18:50 +0000https://www.mypttherapy.co.uk/?p=4791Cervical headaches, also known as “cervicogenic headaches” describe a headache caused by abnormalities within the neck region.

Cervical headaches have a slow onset, with pain usually sited around the back of the skull. This headache is classically accompanied by neck pain and stiffness. It feels like a constant dull ache, which can last a number of days if not weeks. You will most likely notice onset from trauma recently experienced or from postural issues where the cervical joints are becoming closed down and irritated.

3 stretches to help relieve your Cervical Headache: – Upper trapezius stretch – gently tilt your head to the right side, then using the right hand, place it over the left side of the head and add a gentle pressure, pulling the head further into side flexion. You should feel a stretch on the left side of the neck running down to the top of the shoulder. Hold for 20 seconds x 3 sets and repeat on the other side. – Levator Scapulae stretch – for this stretch you are going to move the head diagonally (rotate your head to one side) and then look downwards. From here you will take one hand and place it over the back of your head and gently add an increased over pressure. This will take you further into your stretch. Hold for 20 seconds x 3 and repeat on the other side. – Cervical neck flexors stretch – whilst seated, imagine you have a piece of string running through your spine to the top of your head, which is being pulled at the top. So you are really trying to lengthen your spine. From here you are going to tuck your chin in, whilst keeping the neck lengthened. You may also want to add pressure with your hands; one on the chin, pushing inwards and the other on the back of your head pushing forwards. Hold for 20 seconds and repeat 3 times.

Suggested treatment includes stress reduction, postural correction and manual therapy; do not wait, as the pain will not just go away. Book in for a session with one of our therapists to determine whether your headache is stemming from cervical structures, rather than a normal headache.

]]>47914 Rehab Exercises for Frozen Shoulderhttps://www.mypttherapy.co.uk/2019/04/25/4-rehab-exercises-for-frozen-shoulder/
Thu, 25 Apr 2019 11:44:08 +0000https://www.mypttherapy.co.uk/?p=4784Frozen shoulder occurs after the shoulder joint has been immobilized for a long period of time, which leads to the joint capsule to become thickened and tight due to a build up of scar tissue. Symptoms of frozen shoulder include persistent pain of the shoulder joint, which may intensify when trying to move and severely limited range of movement. Shoulder stiffness is not uncommon after a significant trauma and is most common in individuals between 40-60 years of age. Diagnosis of frozen shoulder is relatively easy and usually resolves itself within 12 months, without surgical intervention. Correct treatment and specific rehabilitation exercises, are able to reduce the recovery time.

Our top 4 rehabilitation exercises to reduce stiffness: – Pendulum swing – slightly bent over with the non-effected arm holding onto a chair for support. You gently rock the affected arm back and forth and side to side for 15-20 reps each. Perform in A.M and when the shoulder is stiff. – Finger walk – standing in front of a wall, gently walk your fingers up the wall, only performing the movement to where is comfortable and then controlling all the way down again. Perform 10 reps, 2-3 times a day. – Crossover arm stretch – placing the affected arm across your body, whilst the other arm holds it in position. You should feel a stretch across the back of the shoulder joint; this is going to help stretch the joint capsule. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat 3 times. – Towel stretch – roll up a hand towel (long-ways) and hold it behind your back at either end of the towel. With the good arm, gently pull the towel sideways away from the body. This will stretch out the front of the capsule. Perform 15-20 reps x 2 sets.

If you suspect you may have frozen shoulder, book in today for a full assessment to rule out any other causes. We will assess and treat the shoulder to help minimise any other structural involvement. Muscular testing may also be needed and strengthening exercises will be given accordingly to ensure you minimise wastage of the musculature around the shoulder joint.